Tecovas, the Austin-based direct-to-consumer Western wear firm that makes footwear, workwear, apparel and accessories, has named William L. McComb, former chief executive officer of Liz Claiborne Inc., to its board of directors.
McComb brings more than 25 years of leadership experience building and scaling global consumer brands and will support Tecovas as it accelerates its national expansion and omnichannel growth strategy. The company was founded in 2015.
McComb’s appointment follows the departure of Elliott Hill, who stepped down from the board in September to become CEO of Nike Inc. McComb has joined a board that consists of Paul Hedrick, founder and executive chairman of Tecovas; Andy Hung, managing partner of Elephant; David Lafitte, president and CEO of Tecovas, and Christina Day, former CEO of Lululemon.
Hedrick said, “He [McComb] brings deep expertise leading transformative growth for some of the world’s most iconic brands. As Tecovas enters another exciting new chapter of expansion, Bill’s leadership and insight will be invaluable in helping us scale while staying true to our roots of authenticity, craftsmanship, and radical hospitality.”
“I am both honored and excited to join the board at Tecovas,” said McComb. “What they have created is, by any measure, impressive and hard to replicate. I am drawn to the opportunity to serve investors and management here given the incredible momentum they have created. This is a beloved brand making extraordinary products in categories with tremendous growth potential. I appreciate the vision and growth strategy I have seen, and the team behind it. This one is a winner.”
McComb served as CEO of Liz Claiborne from 2006 to 2014, where he led a multiyear transformation to streamline operations and invest in direct-to-consumer growth. He rebranded the company as Fifth & Pacific Cos. in 2012, and it ultimately became Kate Spade & Co. in 2014, repositioning it around its highest-growth brand. Earlier in his career, McComb spent more than a decade at Johnson & Johnson, where he held leadership roles across the consumer health care, pharmaceutical and medical device businesses, including serving as president of McNeil Consumer Healthcare.
McComb has served on the boards of Deckers Brands, ThirdLove, CMR Surgical, Remote Retail, Hound Labs, and The Marshall Project.